Publishers Weekly
01/30/2017
Chester can’t talk; Gus can, sometimes, but it’s hard for him. Can they communicate and trust each other? Chester is a chocolate lab, and Gus is a fifth grader with autism whose family hopes he’ll be more interactive at school with Chester around. Chester may not have passed his service test (he’s skittish around loud noises), but he’s smart enough to know what “his person” needs, and he does a fine and believable job narrating this book. Always attentive to Gus, the boy’s ever-hopeful parents, and the kids and adults at school, Chester shows Gus’s struggle to convey his desires and be more independent. Chester has some similar difficulties, and McGovern (Just My Luck) emphasizes his eagerness and empathy, as well as his limitations: although Chester’s trainer convinces herself that the dog can read, Chester knows that’s silly. Meanwhile, readers can debate how literally to take the idea that Chester does find a way to talk—at least to those who are willing to listen. Whatever they decide, they’ll be charmed by Chester’s warmth and loyalty. Ages 8–12. Agent: Margaret Riley, William Morris Endeavor. (Apr.)
From the Publisher
Praise for CHESTER AND GUS: “In this delightful novel, Cammie McGovern has somehow managed to channel, with absolute perfection, the endearing voice of an aspiring service dog named Chester. Joyful, inspiring, and completely winning, Chester and Gus is unforgettable.” — Katherine Applegate, #1 New York Times bestselling author of the Newbery Medal winner The One and Only Ivan
“Beautifully imagined and deeply affecting, Cammie McGovern’s sensitive portrait of one resilient family and their very special dog demonstrates that the best lives are lived when differences are cherished.” — Leslie Connor, award-winning author of Waiting for Normal and All Rise for the Honorable Perry T. Cook
“The quintessential book about a boy and his dog—perfectly beautiful.” — Huffington Post
“[Readers] will be charmed by Chester’s warmth and loyalty.” — Publishers Weekly
“Gus’ gradual, subtle interactions with his classmates ring true and sympathetic.” — Kirkus Reviews
Praise for JUST MY LUCK: “I loved this portrait of a young boy struggling to find his role in a family determined not to be defined by their differences. Benny’s brave story, told with wry humor, is inspirational.” — Ann M. Martin, New York Times bestselling author of Rain Reign
“In narrator Benny, readers find a resilient and very observant 9-year-old who accepts those around him with their strengths and shortcomings alike. His story is insightful and inspirational.” — Kirkus Reviews
“McGovern’s thoughtful depiction of a family facing difficult situations without fracturing, coupled with a gentle message about not being too hard on oneself, will surely speak to middle schoolers with their own slate of worries.” — Publishers Weekly
“A heart-filled story of a likable boy who doesn’t realize that his natural gifts are recognizable and valued by a supportive family. There are many moments that will ring true to middle grade readers: feeling anxious about friendships, wanting to be noticed, and trying to do the right thing.” — School Library Journal
“McGovern’s observations about ordinary-seeming life and about the people around us, about small acts of kindness and healing and forgiveness, are perceptive and thought-provoking.” — The Horn Book
“Benny’s first-person narrative radiates with exactly the kind of compassion his mother recommends. Like many nine-year-olds, Benny can be guileless in one moment and wise beyond his years in another. Highly recommended for fans of realistic fiction by writers such as Ann M. Martin or Lisa Graff.” — ALA Booklist
“McGovern writes convincingly about characters trying to figure out how best to live with the complications of a disability, both the person whom it most affects and also those around him or her. Benny’s voice deserves to be read aloud in a classroom.” — Voice of Youth Advocates (VOYA)
Praise for SAY WHAT YOU WILL: “Exhilarating and heartrending.This novel is stunning.” — ALA Booklist (starred review)
“Readers will be surprised, moved, amused, worried, hopeful, and grateful.” — Publishers Weekly (starred review)
Praise for A STEP TOWARD FALLING: “Universal human emotions and challenges link the characters across boundaries of gender, class, and I.Q. This is a beautiful, big-hearted book with important lessons embedded in compelling stories of two irresistible girls. Expertly executed and movingly realized.” — New York Times Book Review
“Without evading or sugarcoating difficult topics, McGovern shows that disabled and able aren’t binary states but part of a continuum—a human one.” — Publishers Weekly (starred review)
“Told in alternating sections of Emily’s and Belinda’s voices, this book explores how even good people can fail morally. Belinda is written thoughtfully and respectfully. She has a distinct voice that reflects her cognitive disabilities but without condescension. Highly recommended.” — School Library Journal (starred review)
“Through alternating chapters, Emily comes to understand her inaction, prejudices, and failings, and Belinda learns to face her fears, find her voice, and take charge of her future. McGovern’s ample experience with special needs youth is evident, as it allows this unique story shine from within.” — ALA Booklist (starred review)
Katherine Applegate
Praise for CHESTER AND GUS: “In this delightful novel, Cammie McGovern has somehow managed to channel, with absolute perfection, the endearing voice of an aspiring service dog named Chester. Joyful, inspiring, and completely winning, Chester and Gus is unforgettable.
The Horn Book
McGovern’s observations about ordinary-seeming life and about the people around us, about small acts of kindness and healing and forgiveness, are perceptive and thought-provoking.
Ann M. Martin
Praise for JUST MY LUCK: “I loved this portrait of a young boy struggling to find his role in a family determined not to be defined by their differences. Benny’s brave story, told with wry humor, is inspirational.
Huffington Post
The quintessential book about a boy and his dog—perfectly beautiful.
Leslie Connor
Beautifully imagined and deeply affecting, Cammie McGovern’s sensitive portrait of one resilient family and their very special dog demonstrates that the best lives are lived when differences are cherished.
Voice of Youth Advocates (VOYA)
McGovern writes convincingly about characters trying to figure out how best to live with the complications of a disability, both the person whom it most affects and also those around him or her. Benny’s voice deserves to be read aloud in a classroom.
ALA Booklist (starred review)
Praise for SAY WHAT YOU WILL: “Exhilarating and heartrending.This novel is stunning.
ALA Booklist
Benny’s first-person narrative radiates with exactly the kind of compassion his mother recommends. Like many nine-year-olds, Benny can be guileless in one moment and wise beyond his years in another. Highly recommended for fans of realistic fiction by writers such as Ann M. Martin or Lisa Graff.
New York Times Book Review
Praise for A STEP TOWARD FALLING: “Universal human emotions and challenges link the characters across boundaries of gender, class, and I.Q. This is a beautiful, big-hearted book with important lessons embedded in compelling stories of two irresistible girls. Expertly executed and movingly realized.
Kirkus Reviews
2017-02-01
After his fear of loud noises causes him to fail his service dog training, Chester, a supersmart chocolate Lab, becomes a support dog to Gus, a white 10-year-old boy with nonverbal autism. Chester's relationship with his trainer, who's unprofessionally obsessed with teaching him to read, forecasts the book's central heartache: "I loved her so much, but I don't think that's enough for people to understand what you're trying to say." While narrating his own canine views on family and loneliness, Chester also interprets Gus' often misunderstood behaviors. McGovern frequently parallels boy and dog as both struggle to be understood by those they love, and communication becomes paramount when Chester senses a frightening change in Gus and Gus falls victim to a bully. Gus' gradual, subtle interactions with his classmates ring true and sympathetic. However, Chester and Gus also "think-talk" to each other (and possibly to a motherly Jamaican woman) via telepathy, a device that cheapens their bond as much as it forges it. Though telepathy provides convenient access to Gus' thoughts, interests, and feelings, it also perpetuates tired extrasensory tropes and implies that empathizing with autistic people requires a quasi-magical gift. The ostensibly happy resolution to a plot contrivance requires Gus' misfortune, creating more dissonance than satisfaction. A bittersweet, vexing glimpse of a less-portrayed point on the autism spectrum. (Fiction. 9-13)
